Combined turning and nipping machine for shoe uppers



Oct. 8, 1968 K. STEIN ET AL 3,404,416

' comnmm) TURNING AND NIPPING MACHINE FOR SHOE UPPERS Filed Aug. 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 8, 1968 K. STEIN ET AL 3,404,416

COMBINED TURNING AND NIPPING MACHINE FOR SHOE UPPERS Filed Aug. 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet United States Patent 3,404,416 COMBINED TURNING AND NIPPING MACHINE FOR SHOE UPPERS Karl Stein and Herbert Schindler, Pirmasens, Germany, assignors to Schon & Cie, Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Pirmasens, Germany Filed Aug. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 480,441 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 18, 1964, Sch 35,642 11 Claims. (Cl. 12--10.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combined turning and tip nipping machine in which a pincer device engages the upper of footwear on a stationary last and a support for the pincer device is driven downwards and away from the last, then downwards alone, and finally downwards and towards the last, whereby the upper is stretched and turned on the last.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the drawing and turning of shoe uppers, i.e., the upper leather of the top of the shoe around a last.

More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in combination turning and gluing nipping machines for s'hoe ends.

In the known combination turning and gluing nipping machines for shoe ends, there are provided pincers which are arranged on a common carrier plate to surround, continuously and without gaps, the front portion of the shoe to be nipped. In the known machines, these pincres are individually adjustable by separate movement, after which they are individually tightened by hand after the turning process has been completed, in order to effect any necessary corrections. It is also known in such combined turning and gluing nipping machines to allow the front pincers to close first and to stretch or draw the shoe, before the other pincers close, in a longitudinal direction, in odrer to effect a lateral pull. In the combined turning and gluing nipping machines, the pincers either rno-ve vertically downward-s or else the pincers are stationary and the last is pressed vertically upwards with respect to the uppers which are held in position by the pincers.

The simultaneous pulling of the uppers vertically downwardly on the side and at the tip portion of the shoe has very substantial disadvantages since, owing to the friction of the leather on the last, the tension at the tip becomes too great and thereby damages the leather. In addition, said friction prevents satisfactory forward stretching of the shoe, so that it is not possible to obtain an exact closing of the heel by said method of working.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages of the known turning and gluing nipping machines.

In this respect, the invention contemplates a modification in the normal vertical path of relative travel between the pincers and the last in the conventional turning and gluing nipping machines.

In order to define, by way of example, the various directions of relative movement between the pincers and the last, it is assumed that the last points downwardly and the sole surface of the last extends horizontally. According to the invention, the pincers clamping the uppers are first moved away from the last in a horizontal direction and are then simultaneously moved downwardly; subsequently, the pincers are moved downwardly only and, thereafter, simultaneously downwardly and horizontally towards the last.

Preferably, the first vertical downward motion of the pincers, which takes place simultaneously with the horizontal motion thereof, start-s approximately when the counter-portion or heel portion of the shoe tightly engages the last. Moreover, it is advantageous if the horizontal motion toward the last, which takes place simultaneously with the downward motion of the pincers, is initiated shortly before the lowest position of the pincers.

A preferred embodiment of a pincer drive for carrying out the above-described motions for the pincer is characterized in that the pincers are arranged on a carrier plate connected to the end of a first drive which acts substan tially vertically and is articulately supported at its other end point, while a second drive acts substantially horizontally on the carrier plate or the upper portion of the first drive to displace the same and the pincers therewith about its articulated support.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the embodiment described as follows in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of a combined turning and tip nipping machine; and

FIGURES 2 to 4 are diagrammatic views of the motion of the pincers in relation to the last in dilferent positions.

In the drawing there is shown in FIG. 1 a combined turning and gluing nipping machine having a frame 1 to which is fixedly connected a housing 2. Accommodated within the housing is the driving means which is adapted for displacing the pincer system with respect to the last. A pivot 3 is connected to the housing and p'ivotally supports a hydraulic piston 4 and its associated cylinder 5.

Arranged at the upper end of the cylinder 5 is a fixing or fastening flange 6, on which is fixed a carrier plate 7 adapted to support the various pairs of nipping pincers 8. Said pairs of pincers are displaceably and pivotably arranged, in a manner known per se, on said carrier plate, so that their positions can be adapted to the contour of the respective last. At its front side, the housing 2 supports a second horizontally extending hydraulic cylinder 9 in which is slidably supported a piston 10 which is provided with a pressure roller 11 at its front side.

In operation, after the uppers have been engaged in the nipping pincers 8 and the latter have closed, the turning process is initiated by the displacement of the piston 10 with its pressure roller 11 horizontally to the right, so that it contacts the cylinder 5, thereby tilting the same about the pivot 3. The tilting of the cylinder 5 causes the flange 6 with the carrier plate 7 fixed thereon and, hence, the entire pincer system consisting of the nipping pincers 8, to be moved to the right, i.e., away from the tip of the last 19. This causes the entire shoe top to :be moved to the right and the heel to be engaged with the last. The right side of the housing 2 is provided with an opening, through which a transverse lever 12 projects into the housing. Said transverse lever 12 is supported by a pivot 13 connected to the frame 1 of the machine and carries a: pressure roller 14 at its free end. The lever 12 also rests on a cam plate or disc 16 which is connected to housing 2. Due to the movement of the piston 10, the cylinder 5 is caused to abut against the pressure roller 14 which therefore serves as a rearward limit stop. A beveled rail 15 is located at the rear of the cylinder 5. In the case of downward motion of the cylinder and, hence, of the carrier plate 7 with the nipping pincers 8 thereon, said rail impinges on the roller 14 and thereby moves the cylinder 5, the carrier plate 7 and the pair of pincers 8 therewith towards the tip of the shoe, so that the uppers of the shoe top, which have been stretched, arrive in a position below the tip of the last.

The position of the transverse lever 12, with its pressure roller 14, can be vertically adjusted by varying the angular position of the cam disc 16 to thereby make it possible to change the time at which the nipping pincers 8 will move towards the last during the vertical downwards stroke of the cylinder 5.

FIG. 2 shows the uppers 17 clamped in the front pincers at the moment when stretching in direction of the arrow occurs.

FIG. 3 shows the subsequent downward motion of the pincers and FIG. 4 shows the movement of the pincers 8 in the direction of the arrow which has a horizontal component directed towards the shoe support 18. The horizontal movement towards the shoe support 18 is effected by the contact of beveled rail 15 with the roller 14. Duringthis operation, the upper is turned inwardly about the tip, as is clearly apparent from FIG. 4.

The closed nipping pincers into which the uppers are clamped for the purpose of stretching and turning under, thus do not move exclusively vertically downward but, upon initiation of the motion, they guide the entire nipping pincer arrangement first forwardly, i.e., away from the tip of the shoe, so as to pull the entire shoe top forwardly and bring the heel portion in engagement with the nipping last. The downward motion of the pincers starts at about the same time as the horizontal. movement, so that the uppers execute an initial oblique forward and downward motion resulting from the two directions of motion. Stated in another way, the pincers initially undergo an oblique direction of movement composed of a substantially horizontal component directed away from the last and a downward vertical component. After this initial direction of movement, there then is effected vertical downward movement alone of the pincers, and shortly before reaching its lowest position, the pincers move in a direction towards the tip of the last, so that the upper leather, which has been stretched and turned on the front portion of the shoe last, is folded or tucked in slightly downwardly. This permits subsequent action of a slideover device for the purpose of shearing-in the upper leather to be effected without any adverse effects.

From the above therefore it is seen that there is provided according to the invention a complex path of relative travel between the last and the pincers composed of a vertical portion and two oblique portions, this being effected by first and second drive means, the first of which is pivotably supported and acts in one direction while the other acts on the first drive means to pivotably displace the same at specific intervals to obtain said oblique portions during such intervals. Preferably, the second drive means is activated first to cause the heel of the shoe to tightly engage the last, after which the first drive means is activated simultaneous with the second drive means to generate the first oblique motion. The first drive means then operates alone, to produce said vertical portion of the relative motion and then near the end of the vertical path, the second drive means acts on the first drive means in an opposite direction to produce the second oblique motion. The timewise operations of the hydraulic units which operate the first and second drive means can be effected in well known manner by conventional time operated valve arrangements.

Numerious modifications and variations of the disclosed apparatus and methods of operation will become clearly apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combined turning and tip nipping machine having a stationary last, pincer means for engaging the upper of footwear, and means for vertically displacing the pincer means downwards to draw the upper around the last, an improvement comprising means for moving the pincer means away from the last in a generally horizontal direction simultaneous with a first portion of the downward movement of the pincer means, and means for moving the pincer means in a generally horizontal direction towards the last simultaneous with a subsequent portion of the downward movement of the pincer means, said subsequent portion beingat the end of the downward movement of the pincer means and spaced in time-wise interval from the first portion of downward movement such that the pincer means undergoes downward movement alone between said portions.

2. In a combined turning and tip nipping machine: a stationary last having a horizontal sole surface and pointing downwardly, pincer means for gripping an upper of footwear on the last and drawing the upper around the last, first drive means for displacing the pincer means vertically, means supporting the first drive means for pivotal movement and second drive means horizontally disposed for pivotally moving the first drive means and the pincer means therewith, said second drive means comprising a first displaceable pressure roller in contact with the first drive means at one side thereof for pivotally moving the same and the pincer means therewith in a direction away from the last, and a second pressure roller in contact with the first drive means on an opposite side thereof for pivotally moving the first drive means and the pincer means therewith towards the last 3. In a machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second drive means includes a pivotable lever supporting said second pressure roller and a rotatable cam disc supporting said lever for adjusting the position of pivotable ever.

4. In a machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first drive means includes a member with a bevel surface which contacts the second pressure roller such that the first drive means is pivotally moved thereby.

5. In a machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first and second drive means are hydraulically actuated.

6. In a machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pincer means is displaceably and pivotally supported on the first drive means.

7. In a machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first drive means comprises a pivotally supported piston, a slidable cylinder on said piston and a carrier plate secured to the cylinder and supporting the pincer means, said second drive means comprising a fixed cylinder and a displaceable piston in the latter cylinder, said piston carrying said first displaceable pressure roller in contact with the cylinder of the first drive means for pivotally moving the same.

8. In a combined turning and tip nipping machine: a stationary last, pincer means for gripping an upper of footwear on the last and drawing the upper around the last, a supporting plate for the pincer means, a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement coupled to the supporting plate for moving the same in a first direction, said piston and cylinder arrangement being supported for displacement in a direction normal to that in which the plate is moved, means for acting on the piston and cylinder arrangement to displace the same in said direction normal to that of the movement of said plate, a cam on said piston and cylinder arrangement, and a fixable roller in the path of said cam for acting thereon and displacing said piston and cylinder arrangement during a prescribed portion of travel thereof.

9. In a machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said piston and cylinder arrangement is positioned to displace the plate vertically, said means which acts on the piston and cylinder arrangement serving to displace the same horizontally.

10. In a machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said cam and roller are positioned to displace the piston and cylinder arrangement horizontally.

11. In a machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said piston and cylinder arrangement includes a piston member and a cylinder member one of which is movable upon the supply of pressure fluid to said arrangement, said cam being supported on the movable member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Sorensen 12-9 Lancaster 12--9 X Weinschenk 12-145 X Casavant 12--110 Kamborian 12-445 Kamborian 12-145 Morrill 12-10.5

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

